Thread controller for sewing machines



May 3, 1932. H. J. LE VESCONTE THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed May 19. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,&W 7 m WM? y 3, 1932- H. J. LE VESCONTE 1,856,221

THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 3, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HAROLD J. LE VESGONTE, 01: WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION" SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS THREAD CONTROLLER FOR SEWING MACHINES Application filed May 19, 1930. Serial No. 453,783.

1 rection at right angles to the axis of its rotation, and wherein stationary means is provided adapted to cooperate with said rotating thread controlling element for stripping the thread from the thread engaging portion 15 thereof so as to release and give slack to the thread.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a thread controlling mechanism of the above type wherein the rotating thread controlling element is provided with a plurality of thread engaging portions spaced from each other and disposed so as to operate independently upon a plurality of threads.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the inven tion .0 Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a machine embodying the invention with a part broken away to show the stationary stripping lingers which strip the threads from the thread engaging portions of the rotating thread controlling element;

Fig. 2 is a view showing parts of the machine in section and the thread controlling mechanism in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 ct Fig. 2 with the thread controller positioned at the beginning of its take-up action;

Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the thread controlling element positioned where the thread is being stripped from the thread engaging portion and showing in broken lines the thread as it is positioned after being stripped from said thread engaging portion; and

Fig. 5 is a view showing more or less diagrammatically a needle and a cooperating looper with which the thread controlling mechanism may be used.

The invention is directed to a thread con trolling mechanism for sewing machines,

and more particularly to a thread contr0lling mechanism wherein the thread or threads are directed into engagement with a rotating controlling element in a direction at right angles to the axis of rotation of said element. In the application filed by Norman V. Christensen, Charles F. Rubel andFrederick F. Zeier Aug. 2, 1928, Serial No. 297,059, there is shown, described and claimed a thread controlling mechanism ofthe above character on which the present invention is an improvement. These improvements have to do particularly with the means for stripping the thread from the thread engaging portions on said rotating thread controlling element. In the application there is mounted on the rotating thread controlling element stripping fingers which contact with the thread and force it laterally from the thread engaging portion with which it makes contact during the take-up action. In the present improvement the means for casting or stripping the thread from the thread engaging portion is mounted on the frame and is stationary. It is in the form of fingers having an inclined face which is adapted to be engaged by the thread during the taking up of the thread so that the thread is crowded laterally ofl from the thread engaging portion into a recess or groove alongside thereof. When a plurality of threads are to be controlled there is any independent thread engaging portion adapted to operate upon each thread, and of course there is a stripping fin ger associated with each thread engaging portion.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the invention is shown applied for the sake of illustration to a. machine having a supporting bracket 1 carrying an upper housing 2 in which is mounted an actuating shaft 3. The thread controlling mechanism includes a thread controlling element 4 which is fixed to the actuating shaft 3 and rotates therewith. The machine as shown in Fig. 1 is proto the bracket 1 by suitable screws. Located within the housing is a bracket 8 provided with self-threading: guiding eyes 9;. -9-through which these threadspass. This bracket 8 is secured to a supporting lug in the. housingv by means of a bolt 10. v

Themachine is provided with a plurality of needles and cooperating with each needle is a thread carryinglooper. Thethreadcontrolling mechanism is particularly adapted for controlling the thread .ot a. thread: carrying looper. The threads at, b and 0 are the threadsrespecttvely of the l'oopersoi this stitch forming mechanism.

In Fig. 5 there is shown one of the needles of the machine at 1'1', and a thread carrying looper at 12. The looper is of" the oscillating type and isprovided with athread eye 13- and a point 14 which enters the needle thread loop. The three threads are independently controlled by this single-v thread controlling element 4%. Said thread controlling element is provided with twospaced disks- 15 I5 and the element which engages the threads is located between these disks. The disks and thethread controlling element 4.- are secured together in any suitable way and are fixed to the shaft so as to' rotate therewith. The hread controlling element is provided with a thread engaging portion 16-. This thread engaging portion is curved from the point 17 to the-point 18. This curved thread engaging portion is eccentric to the axis of theshaft. The thread as it passes through the thread guides 6 and 9 is directed across the path of rotation ofthis curved portion of the thread engaging element so that said curved portion engages the thread first at the point 1'? as indicated in Fig. 3', and gradually takes up the thread as it rotates tothe position indicated in Fig. d, at which position the point 18 in engagement with the thread. Along side of each thread engaging portion 16 is: a recess or groove 16 There are three thread engaging portions 16' and. three grooves or recesses 16. Thethread guides are so disposed that each thread engaging portion operates independently upon its respectivethread. The threads are directed in planescutting the axis of rotation of the thread control-lhig element, which planes are. parallel with each other and spaced from each other so that the action of each thread. controlling element on the thread; with which it cooperates is entirely independent from the action of the adjacent thread engaging portions on their respective threads.

Mounted on the housing is a bracket 19. As shown, this bracket is attached to a cover plate 20'. The bracket is provided with a series of projecting fingers 21. As shown in Fig. 1 the left-hand face of each finger is inclined as indicated at 22. are so disposed relative to the path of rotation of the thread controlling element that when the threads are engaged by the thread engaging portions the threads will be carried into-engagement with thesefingers. The fingers are so spaced that a finger cooperates with each thread and the thread will be crowded or moved by the inclined face 22 with which it contacts-laterally on the thread engaging portion of the rotating element and stripped therefrom into. the groove or recess 16 along side of the thread engaging portion,

In Fig. 3 of thedrawings the thread engaging portions are-just coming into contact with the threads. In Fig. 4 these threads have been deflected from their normalpath of movement between the thread guides and thus: the thread drawn on and taken up.

This deflecting of the thread laterally from its normal path brings it into. engagement with the stripping fingers which crowd: the

thread oil from the thread engagingportions thus. giving up slack to the thread. It will 16% so that. while slaclnis given to the thread there is still more thread to be given up and this is given up gradually as the thread controlling element at continues its rotation. As applied to the control of'the looper thread this portion of the thread controlling element op crates on the looper thread as the loopers are being retracted. lVhen the looper starts on its return movement after having entered into the needle thread loop it is essential to keep the looper thread substantially taut as the eye moves rearwardly so that the: thread between the eye of the looper andtheprevious stitch is held tantso as to insure that the needle will pass into the thread triangle formed, by the body of the looper, the looper thread between the eye of the looper and the previous stitch, and the needle thread loop about the looper at this time. The curved face of the thread controlling element 16 gradually takes upthe looper thread as the looper is retracted. As soon as the. point of the needle has passed well into this thread triangle then it; is desirable: 'to-lgive slack to the looper thread. This is the-time when the stripping fingers come into play and cast or strip the threads from the. thread engaging elements. This gives ample slack to the looper thread so that the looper may continue its rearward movement leaving the looper thread about the needle. 7 point on to the rear end of its stroke slack is given gradually to the looper by the bottom wall 23' of the recess or groove which becomes the thread controlling surface after it is stripped from the thread engaging por- These fingers LOO From this i .tion. This particular form of curved surface which gradually takes up the looper thread in the manner described is the subjec-t matter of the application of Frederick F. Zeier, and Charles F. Ruhel, filed April 15, 1930, Serial No. 444,465.

The present invention is directed particularly to these stationary stripping lingers which pass the threads from the thread engaging portion by a rotating thread controlling element of the type described and shown in the two pending applications referred to. The thread controlling element is provided with a second thread engaging portion 24 which engages the thread and takes up slack and then gives up slack. This thread engaging portion does not move the thread laterally a sufficient distance to cause it to contact with the stripping fingers. The thread controlling element is also provided with grooves 25 which serve to guide the threads onto the thread engaging portions 16. This thread engaging portion 24 comes into contact with the looper thread when the loop or starts on its forward stroke and will take up the slack in front of the eye of the looper drawing the thread back through the eye thus preventing the looper thread from buckling in front of the point of the looper, which is likely to result in the skipping of stitches. As soon as the looper point is well into the needle thread loop then this thread controlling portion 2-1- will give slack to the loop-er thread loop to permit said looper to move on to the end of its stroke.

It is thought that the operation of the thread controlling mechanism will be clearly understood from the description which has been given. lVhile the thread controlling element has been described as applied to the control of a looper thread, it will be understood that it may be used for other purposes. While the specific form of rotating thread controlling element has also been described in conjunction with these stationary stripping fingers it will be understood that the details of construction of the thread con trolling element may be greatly varied. The essential feature consists in the independent thread engaging portions when the thread controlling element is used on a plurality of threads with each of which is associated a groove or recess so disposed relative to the thread engaging portion while actively taking up the thread so as to give slack to the thread quickly. The form of the stripping means may also be greatly varied without departing from the spirit of the invention; the essential feature consisting in the fixing of these stripping means to a stationary part of the machine and placing the same so that thread as it is engaged by the thread ongaging portion of the controlling element will be deflected laterally and into contact with this stripping means so that said thread will be stripped from the thread engaging portion.

said thread engaging element so that the thread will be caused to engage with the stripping means and be stripped from the thread engaging portion of the controlling element during the rotation of the same.

2. A thread controlling mechanism for sewing machines including a rotatable thread controlling element, thread guides associated therewith for directing a thread into engagement with said element in a direction at right angles to its axis of rotation, said thread controlling element having a radially projecting portion adapted to engage and take up said thread, a recess or groove at one side of the thread engaging portion, and a stationary finger having an inclined face, said inclined face being disposed relative to the thread engaging element so that the thread will be caused to engage the same and be stripped from the thread engaging portion of said controlling element during the rotation of the same.

3. A thread controlling mechanism for sewing machines including a rotatable thread controlling element, thread guides associated therewith for directing a thread into engagement with said element in a direction at right angles to its axis of rotation, said thread controlling element having a radially projecting portion adapted to engage and take up said thread, a recess or groove at one side of the thread engaging portion, and stationary stripping means disposed relative to said thread engaging element so that the thread will be caused to engage with the stripping means and be stripped from the thread engaging portion of the controlling element during the rotation of the same, said thread. controlling element having a second radially projecting portion adapted to engage and take up saidthread and operating on said thread independently of the first named thread engaging portion.

at. A thread controlling mechanism for sewing machines including a rotatable thread controlling element, thread guides associated therewith for directing athread into engagement withsaid element in a direction at right angles to its axis of rotation, said thread controlling element having a radially projectof the first named thread engaging portion.

5. A threadcontrolling mechanism for sewing machines including a rotatable thread controlling element, thread guides associ= ated therewith for directing'threads into engagement with said element in a direction at right angles to its axis of rotation, saidthread controlling element having plurality of radiallyprojectingportions disposed side by side and operating independently upon the threads, a recess or groove at one side of each thread engaging portion, and stationary stripping means disposed relative to said thread engaging element so that the threads will be caused to engage the stripping means at spaced points and be stripped from the thread engaging portions of the controlling element during theirotation of the same.

6. A thread controlling mechanism for sewing, machines including a rotatable thread controlling element, thread guides associated therewith for directing threads into engagement With said element in a direction at right angles to its aXis of rotation, said thread controlling element having a phu'ality of radially projecting portions disposed. side by side and operating independently upon the threads, a recess or groove at one side. of each v thread engaging portion, and a stationary bracket having a plurality of spaced fingers each of which is provided with an inclined face, said fingers being disposed so that the threads will be caused to engage the respective fingers and be stripped from the thread engaging portions of the controlling element during the rotation of the same.v

7. A thread controlling mechanism for sewing machines including a rotatable thread controlling element, thread guides associated therewith for directing threads into engagement with said element in a direction at right angles to its axis of rotation, said thread controlling element having a plurality of radially projecting portions disposed side by side and operating independently upon the threads, a recess or groove at one side of each thread engaging portion, and a stationary bracket having a plurality of spaced fingers each of Which is provided with an inclined face, said fingers being disposed so that the threads will be caused to engage the respecprojecting portion adapted to independently :1

engage and take up said threads and operating on said threads independently of the first named thread engaging portions.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

HAROLD J.. LE VESCONTE; 

